Secret Files: General discussion and speculation

MacGyver · March 17, 2010, 10:20:41 AM

No worse than "The Mystery of Monster Mountain" in The Three Investigators series- and that was a great book!

I'm gonna have to give The Hardy Boys: Secret Files series at least one try- probably pick up the first book in the series just to give it a read and see what it's like. I have a feeling it's basically a continuation/revamp of The Clues Brothers series, much like Nancy Drew relaunced The Nancy Drew Notebooks series with the Nancy Drew Clue Crew series.

hardygirl847 · March 18, 2010, 06:02:50 PM

I'll probably do that too. Hey maybe it will recruit a whole new group of Hardy Boys fans!!

They might have to wait a few years before they can read the other more YA stuff...but better than nothing!

SDLagent · April 22, 2010, 02:45:07 AM

I picked-up the first two titles in this series, today.

tomswift2002 · April 22, 2010, 10:39:06 AM

Well I've still got them on pre-order, so they haven't arrived yet. How are the first two so far? Are the books like the old Clues Brothers where they are about 50-60 pages in length, about 20 font size and take maybe a 1/2-hour to get through?

MacGyver · April 22, 2010, 07:56:38 PM

Okay- cool. Good to know they're out in stores. I imagine I'll get a copy eventually.

SDLagent · April 23, 2010, 02:09:43 AM

Quote from: tomswift2002 on April 22, 2010, 10:39:06 AM
Well I've still got them on pre-order, so they haven't arrived yet. How are the first two so far? Are the books like the old Clues Brothers where they are about 50-60 pages in length, about 20 font size and take maybe a 1/2-hour to get through?

Trouble at the Arcade has 87 pages of story, The Missing Mitt has 95, and both have a two page comic at the end.

I've been busy, so I haven't had a chance to read much, yet, but here's a few points of interest...Laura is a librarian. Callie's the new girl in town and Frank and Joe don't really know her yet. Chet and Iola have a four your old sister named Mimi.

MacGyver · April 23, 2010, 08:46:22 AM

Interesting addition with the Mortons suddenly having another child. I know the graphic novel series established Laura Hardy as a librarian. I'm thinking this is mentioned in UnderCover Brothers too- but was this not ever mentioned in the Casefiles or original series? I thought maybe it was...
Cool that the books come with a comic.

SDLagent · April 23, 2010, 07:38:57 PM

Quote from: MacGyver on April 23, 2010, 08:46:22 AM
Interesting addition with the Mortons suddenly having another child. I know the graphic novel series established Laura Hardy as a librarian. I'm thinking this is mentioned in UnderCover Brothers too- but was this not ever mentioned in the Casefiles or original series? I thought maybe it was...
Cool that the books come with a comic.

Laura being a librarian is something that's exclusive to the Undercover Brothers continuity. So, I guess the Secret Files serve as a preclude to the other UB series....

MacGyver · April 24, 2010, 12:14:54 AM

So maybe the Secret Files series is like a parallel series to The Clues Brothers- with the former being a preclude to the UnderCover Brothers series and the latter being a preclude to the Originals/Digests. (or I suppose maybe Casefiles.)

tomswift2002 · April 24, 2010, 09:23:52 AM

Well if The Secret Files is a prelude series to the Undercover Brothers, you've got to wonder why "Mimi" has never been mentioned during any of the stories or graphic novels with Chet and Iola? Hopefully she doesn't meet an end as gruesome as her older sister did years before.

MacGyver · April 24, 2010, 10:03:08 PM

Well, I'm sure if that was the case, you wouldn't find out about it in the pages of Secret Files....
I will have to read the books and see what role Mimi really plays- I'm curious why a new family member was suddenly added for the Mortons- maybe to be a comic foil of sorts?

SDLagent · April 25, 2010, 01:20:34 AM

Quote from: tomswift2002 on April 24, 2010, 09:23:52 AM
Well if The Secret Files is a prelude series to the Undercover Brothers, you've got to wonder why "Mimi" has never been mentioned during any of the stories or graphic novels with Chet and Iola? Hopefully she doesn't meet an end as gruesome as her older sister did years before.

Well, it's not like they visit the Morton home to much in the UB. Sure, Chet and Iola show-up once and awhile, but it's usually at school and there's really no reason to have any mention of her, there. She is five years younger then Chet, so she'd go to a different school then both her older siblings.

The only time I can think of that she probably should have been mentioned is Hurricane Joe. But you can always make-up some excuse for her not to be there.

tomswift2002 · April 25, 2010, 12:32:29 PM

Quote from: SDLagent on April 25, 2010, 01:20:34 AM
Well, it's not like they visit the Morton home to much in the UB. Sure, Chet and Iola show-up once and awhile, but it's usually at school and there's really no reason to have any mention of her, there. She is five years younger then Chet, so she'd go to a different school then both her older siblings.

The only time I can think of that she probably should have been mentioned is Hurricane Joe. But you can always make-up some excuse for her not to be there.

Well Iola did play a rather big role in Murder at the Mall --- of course that book sort of had Chet appearing kind of out of character (and you've got to wonder how, if the Mortons had 3 kids, how they could've afforded a personal trainer for Chet).

hardygirl847 · April 27, 2010, 04:46:27 PM

I'm hoping to get mine this week through my Scholastic book order. Interesting information so far. I look forward to reading it. There will be a book club discussion about the first one later in the year. However, if we over do it through this thread or area, I can always revise the schedule.

Not that it matters but I wonder if Laura was a librarian for something to do or to make money? Fenton's job always seemed like it kept them afloat and then some. They have boats, high tech vans, motorcycles, etc. I wonder if her motivation was to keep busy more than help earn income. *shrugs* Just a thought...or ramble.

SDLagent · April 27, 2010, 05:00:12 PM

Quote from: hardygirl847 on April 27, 2010, 04:46:27 PMNot that it matters but I wonder if Laura was a librarian for something to do or to make money? Fenton's job always seemed like it kept them afloat and then some. They have boats, high tech vans, motorcycles, etc. I wonder if her motivation was to keep busy more than help earn income. *shrugs* Just a thought...or ramble.

Two words: Politically correct.